SynthesisPsycho-oncology2015
The effect of expressive writing intervention on psychological and physical health outcomes in cancer patients--a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Psycho-oncology, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06123416 (Emotion Regulation and Cancer Caregiving), which is not on this map. Cited by 36 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Emotion Regulation and Cancer Caregiving
Who cites it
36 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 81 citations in OpenAlex.
- The effect of expressive writing intervention for patients with reproductive trauma on anxiety, depression and stress: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Pooled it
- Writing to Keep on Living: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Creative Writing Therapy for the Management of Depression and Suicidal Ideation.Current psychiatry reports · 2024Pooled it
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of expressive writing disclosure on cancer and palliative care patients' health-related outcomes.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2023Pooled it
- Expressive writing as a therapeutic intervention for people with advanced disease: a systematic review.BMC palliative care · 2019Pooled it
- The effect of expressive writing intervention on psychological and physical health outcomes in cancer patients--a systematic review and meta-analysis.Psycho-oncology · 2015Pooled it
- Trial
- Effects of expressive helping writing during stem cell transplant: Randomized controlled trial.Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association · 2025Trial
- The Effect of Expressive Writing on the Experiences of Head and Neck Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Cancer medicine · 2025Trial
- Qualitative similarities and distinctions between participants' experiences with a yoga intervention and an attention control.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2023Trial
- Cancer and aging: Reflections for elders- Expressive writing intervention: A pilot study.Journal of geriatric oncology · 2022Trial
- Getting Creative: Pilot Study of a Coached Writing Intervention in Patients with Advanced Cancer at a Rural Academic Medical Center.Journal of palliative medicine · 2022Trial
- Effect of prolonged expressive writing on health outcomes in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2021Trial
- Efficacy of Pennebaker's expressive writing intervention in reducing psychiatric symptoms among patients with first-time cancer diagnosis: a randomized clinical trial.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2019Trial
- The impact of an expressive writing intervention on quality of life among Chinese breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2019Trial
- Trial
- A randomized controlled trial of expressive writing in breast cancer survivors with lymphedema.Psychology & health · 2017Trial
- Family Environment Factors Associated with Symptom Distress Among Korean Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2026Article
- A Virtual, Group-Based Expressive Writing Intervention for Survivors of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer: Protocol for a Single-Arm Feasibility Study.JMIR research protocols · 2026Article
- Review
- Navigating rural challenges and promoting posttraumatic growth via expressive writing: A qualitative study among rural breast cancer survivors.Research square · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of expressive writing intervention (EWI) for improving psychological and physical health in cancer patients and survivors.
methodsWe searched databases and existing reviews for randomized controlled studies published between 1986 and 2014 that evaluated the effects of EWI on psychological and physical health outcomes. We computed and combined effect sizes and examined the role of methodological characteristics.
resultsFrom 223 unique citations, we identified 16 independent randomized controlled trials published from 1999 to 2014, examining the effect of EWI on a range of psychological and physical health outcomes. No statistically significant effects were found for any of the individual or combined psychological (Hedges's g: 0.04; 95% CI, -0.06 to 0.14; p = 0.42), physical (0.08; 95% CI, -0.05 to 0.20; p = 0.22), or quality-of-life outcomes (0.09; 95% CI, -0.05 to 0.24; p = 0.22). The results were unaffected by differences in study characteristics, for example, type of control condition, study setting, cancer type, and overall study quality ratings. Results from a subset of studies indicated a possible moderating effect of social constraints, suggesting that participants experiencing low levels of emotional support may be more likely to benefit from EWI.
conclusionsOur results do not support the general effectiveness of EWI in cancer patients and survivors. However, given the practical and inexpensive intervention, it is possible that even small effects in subgroups of patients could be clinically relevant, and future studies are recommended to test the effects of potential moderators, including pre-intervention distress levels and context-dependent factors such as emotional support.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.